A Thousand Threads
by saltyavocado
Summary: AU. Started off as a Himiwari/Sakura sister fic, but then it kinda took on a life of its own.  No slash, little romance, just good, old fashioned, character driven plot... and I think I just lost about half the people reading this *sobs*  Try it out?
1. Introduction

It is a mistake to think you are the protagonist.

In fact, it is a mistake to even think there is a protagonist. That would be horrible, wouldn't it? To have an entire world revolve around one person – how self centered. This fact is important to keep this in mind, as you travel this land. Where is this land, you ask? Oh, it is neither here nor there, a changing land with many different individuals whom you will meet on your journey. There is a swords man, a renegade, a sickly young lord, an herb seller, a mediator, a metalcrafter, a covert agent, a merchant, an emperor, and many more. But where should we start? Well, amid this convoluted web of people, why not with some musicians? You will meet them in that bamboo forest beyond those hills, and if you hurry, you'll reach them before dark.

Who am I? Oh, don't mind me. I'm just passing through. You won't find me again after this, as I have too many obligations to have the time to guide you around step by step. There is sake to drink, a business to run, and a certain boy that I'm obliged to take care of. Such a burden – I must have been a saint in another world. Oops, there are no other versions of me in the other worlds, are there? Oh, you are looking confused right now. Don't mind me, don't mind me. It's just the prattling of an old woman.

I'm sure that you'll be able to take care of yourself though, because, despite the many unsavory characters present in this kingdom, there are also many good souls who will help you along your way. I'd just keep out of the doings of the ikimono and their human kagamis, if I were you. Or should I say the humans and their ikimono kagamis?

What are they? Well, ikimomo are creatures not quite animal, and not quite human, very intelligent, but, how should I put it – very unusual. Every once in a while there will be born a kagami – a ikimono and a human who are born with a unique bond, almost like – oh, how should I say it – almost like reflections in a mirror. Oh, whatever, you'll find out soon enough. Just leave them alone, and they'll leave you alone. Most of the time, anyway.

Ahem, that is that. I'll be returning to my own world now, as my business here is finished. As it is said in this kingdom, may your road be smooth, your boat be sturdy, and our hearts warm when we meet again.

_Note – Ikimono is literally the word for animal, or living creature in Japanese. Kagami is the word for reflection. If you're familiar with CLAMP, you probably know where this is going, don't you? :D Hope you guys will like this little experiment just as much as I am enjoying writing it. _


	2. Sankokyu Part 1

**Book One: Sankokyu**

It is a strange thing, how people sometimes pass each other without so much as a greeting, and how other times their strings of fate become so tangled in each other, it makes me wonder if they will ever be able to free themselves. A thousand different humans – no, not humans exactly, I suppose. I cannot say that after having met Kimihiro. No, a thousand different hearts, drifting about on this earth, who meet and rub together and become changed, just like the mixing of metal particles when Kurogane is making alloy for a new blade. Although I do not like metal working in general, what with all the trouble the iron boom has brought us.

What is that, Sakura? You wonder what kind of a blade we will become as we travel together? Hmm, I wonder about that. Hopefully a good strong one, neh? One that won't break in battle or rust with time.

But I'm forgetting myself, honorable traveler. Here, settle yourself by the fire and take some of this soup to fill you. Yes, that boy over there made it, Kimihiro. But he looks perfectly human, did you say? Yes, well, appearances can be deceiving. If we went by looks alone, then Syaoran would have been discredited as a swordsman long ago, with those large, boyish eyes of his.

Oww, Sakura, that hurt! Come on, I was only teasing. Don't take it personally. Help me Shizuka, help! What, it's none of your business? How can you turn your back on me like that?

Ah, thank you traveler, for helping me up. Normally we wouldn't let other people know what we truly are, but since you are one of us, we will tell you. Hopefully you will find our experiences helpful as you travel in this land growing in unrest.

The road is a lonely place. We hope that you too may find others to journey with.

**Half a year ago, during the Festival of Sowers**

**Northern hills between the eastern lakes and the Valley of foxes**

This region of the country really was beautiful, she thought. Once one managed to make it through the Northern Pass, the hills suddenly exploded into a verdure that one would not even think possible after the scrubby plains on the other side of the mountains. The change was a welcome respite, despite the unsettling sight of the ironplants in the distance. The old adage "Spring settles her mantle in the north" was clearly no understatement in this place.

"Himiwari!" The name was called commandingly from the front of the wagon as a svelte blond turned her head, swiveling until her chin rested on the back of the seat. She smiled languidly while flicking one long nailed finger into the darkness of the wagon. "Wake her up, will you? The next town is only a few miles away, and I don't want her going out with a face swollen from sleep."

Himiwari slipped into the dark interior of the wagon, trying to navigate the crowded space while still adjusting to the lack of light. Her foot stumbled over a prone figure, curled up with the blankets over its head.

"Come on, sleepy head, Joro-gumo wants you to get ready. I have your costume ready for you." Eyes blinked up at her blearily as the blanket's occupant slowly rose, rubbing the sleep out of her face with weary hands. Himiwari chuckled as she raked her fingers through the other girl's hair, gently unsnarling the chestnut curls as she did so. "Come on Sakura, that's the spirit." A little groan met her words.

A few shuffling steps later had the other girl peering into a small mirror they had attached to the wall, the imprint of the reed mat standing out plainly on her cheek. "By the bountiful springs of the northern mountains," she muttered, trying to rub them away. "I'll be out in a moment." Himiwari rose from the floor of the wagon and clambered out nimbly, settling herself onto the backboard where she had left her shamisen. The smoothed wood of its slender neck was cool in her palm as she plucked out a few notes, trying to decide what would be most appropriate for a small farming village. Maybe some of the older folk tunes would be appropriate? Or would this town be more in favor of the advancements of the new era and the new style of music that came with it? She supposed that Joro-gumo would be the one to decide in the end, although she sincerely hoped that one of the newer songs would not be called for. Their relentless, never ending rhythms left her fingers sore.

Presently Sakura joined her, spreading out her bright skirt of her performance robe to inspect it for wear and tear. Not that she had any need too. Himiwari had checked the material and had made all necessary repairs before laying it out for her, just as she always had. As eye-catching as the costume was, the poor quality of the fabric always ensured that some new stain or tear had to be remedied after every stop they made, although this really couldn't be blamed on any carelessness on Sakura's part. It was simply the nature of what they got themselves involved in, outside of their official position as wandering musicians. Himiwari scowled again at the smoke that steadily drifted from behind the hills. Their lives would be a lot easier if it weren't for those monstrosities of the emperor's.

"Why do you think something so deadly is so beautiful?" Sakura spoke up thoughtfully, gazing at the shallow streams that flowed from the direction of the iron plants. Himiwari followed her gaze and studied the colorfully stained banks also, her eyes tracing the bright swirls of orange and red that clung to the mud. Here and there were patches of blue-green where copper deposits had been left above the waterline. It was beautiful in its own way, she supposed, as long as one didn't realize the true nature of the unnatural palette.

"I don't know," she answered truthfully. The groan and creak of the wagon mixed with the warm afternoon sunlight made her feel too lazy to give the question much thought. "I suppose the saying, 'Truest danger hides behinds a bright face,' would be fitting in this case." Sakura giggled at her answer, swinging her legs back and forth in the dust trailing behind the wagon. "I think that phrase was meant to warn against loose women, not contaminated rivers," she teased. They laughed together before falling into a comfortable silence. Sakura tilted her face up and closed her eyes, sighing as she drank in the warmth of the afternoon sun.

"This is the third time that we've spent the sowing season with Joro-gumo, isn't it?" Sakura turned to face Himiwari with a cheerful grin. "So much has happened in that time we left our hometown. We've traveled to so many different places, met so many different people and ikimono, and learned so many new things. Although I can't say we haven't had our dangerous moments." Himiwari snorted.

"Yes, like those times we were chased by the emperor's guards. Or that other time where one of Joro-gumo's acquaintances nearly ate us." She began to rub the shamisen harder. "Honestly, I don't even know why we bother helping that woman anymore, with all the trouble she gets into. If she needs two more musicians for her sankyoku ensemble, anyone else would do, right?"

"But she has taught us a lot, hasn't she?" said Sakura with a small smile. "You would have never learned how to use a short blade properly, if Joro-gumo hadn't made sure you knew how to take care of yourself, and I wouldn't have learned how to play the koto. Music is food for the soul, as Yukito used to say." Her face took on a wistful expression. Himiwari quietly set down her rag to give her friend's shoulder a sympathetic squeeze.

"He always did love to hear you sing, didn't he? Touya and he would be happy to know that you are learning so much"

"Who knows what they would think of us now? I don't even know what I think of us anymore."

As Himiwari opened her mouth to reply, the conversation was suddenly cut short as Joro-gumo's imperious voice drifted back to them from the front of the wagon.

"Get ready you two. We're entering the village now." The two girls reluctantly went back into the wagon to prepare for the night's performance, although not without a final look at the surrounding countryside.

…

It was late afternoon as they approached the village, and many men and women were walking on the road beside them as they returned from their days work. Their entrance drew much attention, and a sizable crowd had gathered by the time they reached the central area of the village square. The wagon had barely stopped before Joro-gumo materialized before the audience, seductively clad and smiling dangerously.

"Good evening, respected dwellers of the land. Tonight, we in the sankokyu ensemble will be performing some of the classics for you, as well as gracing this village with some newer pieces that have just become popular within the southern cities. Please remember," she said with a slow wink, "to show your appreciation generously." She then went on to describe the various pieces they would be playing, something Himiwari ignored as she scanned the faces in the audience. It was a typical crowd, with mothers and children, young couples, and some elderly men and women that she guessed to be the community elders. Hopefully they would be able to pass through this village without an incident? Himiwari sighed and shook her head at her own optimism. Since when had her life been without troublesome incidents?

Joro-gumo quavered the first note of their starting piece, a popular folktune that they played at most of their stops. The sound of plucked strings mingling with the sad keen of the shakuhachi filled the still air and rose, echoing across the rice paddies that covered the valley. The cooling air began to chill Himiwari's hands as the evening wore on, and when she wasn't playing she rubbed them together discretely in an attempt to keep them warm, paying close attention to her surroundings all the while. Sakura locked eyes with her and made a slight gesture with her head, in the direction of the village outskirts. So it seems an ikimono was here after all.

"And now," purred Joro-gumo, "we shall be playing our last song for today's performance. May the spring winds bring good fortune to this village, as we all celebrate the upcoming Festival of Sowers." With those words Sakura stood and came to the forefront with her koto, settling gracefully on the grass mats they used to define their makeshift stage. The crowd hushed as she plucked out the first few notes, before beginning to sing.

Sakura's voice was lilting, sweet as it trembled out like a sparrow's song on a spring morning. She sang of first rains, of gentle love meeting under the trees, and of the joy of the new planting year. The atmosphere softened, faces in the crowd relaxing as the valley seemed to pause and listen to the slight girl sitting under the eaves of the wagon. Himiwari allowed herself a moment of peace also, leaning back inconspicuously as she closed her eyes and let herself be washed away by Sakura's singing. Although nothing outstanding in itself, the passion and love that Sakura sang with seemed to buoy the spirits of all who listened, human or not.

After the last song Sakura slipped away, leaving Himiwari and Joro-gumo to talk and meet with members of the village. Through the crowd Himiwari could see the shakuhachi player laughing flirtatiously with some young men, most of whom were probably only half her age. A bit of irritation rose in her while she collected the coins that had been contributed to their meager funds, counting them out carefully into the cotton purse she usually kept tucked in her waistband. It would be enough to buy rice for porridge tonight, at any rate. Perhaps she would be able to peel Joro-gumo away from her admirers long enough for her to actually use those powers of persuasion for something useful. Like procuring some turnips.

"Himiwariiiii, pet, come over here for a moment, would you?" Speak of the devil. The blond turned towards her as she approached, shooing away her companions. "Do go and look for Sakura, will you? It would be a shame if something were to happen to her in an isolated place like this." Himiwari ignored the attempt made to get rid of her, knowing perfectly well that Sakura was able to take care of herself. Although in a strange place like this it would probably be better to find her quickly.

"Joro-gumo, why do you always go about collecting men in every place we stop at? I thought attention from other people was the last thing we wanted with the ikimo- people we are involved with." The older woman laughed humorlessly in amusement as she patted Himiwari on the head with condescension.

"Oh, you innocent little child. I'm not "collecting men" as you so aptly put it. I'm gathering influence, forces that will save me a great deal of trouble if the need arises." She held up a few thin strands of the other girl's long black hair, inspecting it in the light. "What a tangled web we weave, with these passions and desires, these loves and hatreds," she murmured. "All it takes," she said with a chuckle as she pulled sharply, "is a little tug, here and there." A prickle of raw pain seared across Himiwari's scalp as her head was jerked forward, only her steady feet keeping her from stumbling. After a moment she straightened, her shoulders stiff and offended. "Joro-gumo," she said accusingly.

"Oh come now, it didn't hurt that much. The pain will help you to remember a lesson well learned." Joro-gumo let the hairs fall slowly to the ground before turning towards the wagon.

"Go find Sakura already. It would be inconvenient to lose our koto player on this stretch of the journey."

"Lovely to see how much you care," Himiwari muttered under her breath. Nevertheless she left hastily, wanting to find her friend before dark. Having known her from childhood, she knew that Sakura was a soft hearted girl who had a tendency to lose track of time when preoccupied with something, especially if it was helping someone who needed her. If there was a sick ikimono that had been spotted during their performance, chances were she was out there looking for it.

The last of the day's sunlight cast shadows on her path as she was hurried past the ducts that fed into the silent paddies. Although part of her was glad for the quiet which allowed her to listen for Sakura, a deep sense of trepidation filled her as she pondered the effects of the village's long exposure to the ironplants just east of them. Surely any ikimono that might have been originally dwelling here would have moved long ago. Why on earth would there still be one here? The thought nagged her as she ran, keeping time with the pounding of her heart. Where was Sakura, at a time like this?

A loud thump sounded from the tall grass marshes that bordered the paddies, startling a flock of birds. Himiwari stopped, changing direction to reach the source of the sound. As she approached, loud voices began to become audible in the silent evening air. Footsteps approached. Slowly, Himiwari reached for the short blade that Joro-gumo had instructed her to always keep on her person.

"Sakura!" The other girl turned towards her frantically, eyes darting about as if searching for something. Himiwari began to feel anxious. "What happened?" Sakura, distracted, turned towards the reeds again.

"Did you see him? The boy with the bow." Himiwari was nonplussed.

"Now what in the name of the emperor is going on…" she muttered, but Sakura was already crashing away through the vegetation with urgent movements, leaving Himiwari to hurry after her. "Hey, where are you going…" Her voice died off as she saw the scene before her.

The clearing in the marsh looked like a battlefield. Reeds were snapped and scattered about, the mud churned up so badly that she could barely find footing. Feathers, once white, were strewed about in the dirty water. Amid the chaos knelt Sakura, cradling a battered form. She carefully made her way across the clearing, trying to make out what it was.

It was a crane. Himiwari came close and knelt beside Sakura, reaching out to pick some mud out of the ikimono's feathers.

"Is this who you saw?" Sakura nodded, getting up while holding the crane gently.

"Thank goodness I got here first. We need to leave quickly, in case he comes back."

"In case who comes back?" Sakura opened her mouth to reply, only to be interrupted.

"Wait." The request was made softly, barely a breath as the crane raised its head rose to look up at them. "I should- I should… Let me take on an appearance that won't attract so much attention." And then where a crane had been the form of a young man appeared, leaning heavily on Sakura's arm. Himiwari hurried to his other side and helped to support him, unfastening her cloak. She threw it over his head and shoulders with a chuckle.

"You're going to be turning heads with your injuries, no matter what form you take. We'll have to take you to the wagon the long way around if we want to avoid the village square." With that the three of them made their way cautiously out of the marsh, taking the bypaths as the evening turned into dusk.

Himiwari surreptitiously studied the boy between them as they walked. From under the hood of the cloak she could tell his build was lanky, with long feathery strands of hair falling in front of a thin face. He was emaciated, to a startling degree, his general state of poor health giving his pale skin a sickly sheen. His chest rose and fell in spasms with each shuddering breath, making her want to scoop him up and just carry him the rest of the way. How long would he have lasted if Sakura hadn't found him when she did? Himiwari turned to her friend with raised eyebrows, silently asking what on earth had happened. Sakura met her eyes with an embarrassed look.

"I saw him lingering at the edge of the crowd when we were performing, listening to our music. I followed him out here to take him talk to him." She shifted the weight of the boy on her shoulder. "There was another person who saw him too. He shot him, or tried to, at least. I think he only grazed him, here." She gestured towards the boy's shoulder, which was bleeding. Himiwari sucked in a breath as she looked at the wound. She looked up at her friend in concern.

"Did he try to attack you?"

Sakura gave short laugh. "No, I practically attacked him, trying to keep him from shooting," she said, a grim expression across her face. "I do wonder why that guy was so intent on hunting him, though," she said, gesturing towards the boy between them. "After all, crane meat isn't very good, and most people can't tell the difference between an ikimono and a normal animal. It bothers me. That boy bothers me." The two of them lapsed into silence as the evening darkened, focusing on reaching their wagon.

Joro-gumo was waiting for them when they arrived – with a guest. The three of them halted outside the ring of firelight as she paused in their conversation to look over at them. Her companion looked up also and studied them unabashedly, the light playing off of his solemn eyes as he took in each of them, lingering on the boy in the middle before turning back to his hostess. Joro-gumo smiled at them with an uncharacteristically friendly look. "Don't worry. He is a sympathizer with the ikimono, and an old aquaintence." They relaxed visibly, and finally came to sit down by the fire.

"So what have we here?" she murmured as she pulled back the hood on the boy's face. A look of surprise momentarily entered her face before it became playful and sly. "So, it seems that the seasons have not worn well on you, Kimihiro."

He looked up with serene eyes – eyes, Himiwari realized, that were a startling blue, now that she could see them. His look was complacent as he answered her. "No, it seems they haven't." And then he fell. The other boy's quick reflexes were the only thing that saved him from the fire as a long shudder coursed through his body, the lanky boy dissolving to reveal a tattered pile of feathers, long wings dragging on the ground. The stranger holding him gave the creature a quick check before turning towards Joro-gumo.

"Poisoned." With practiced skill he took the blanket that Himiwari held out and wrapped it around the creature, careful of his fragile feathers. "He must have been living out here in the runoffs for months now. Why isn't he in the eastern lakes already?" Sakura spoke up, surprising him.

"The eastern lakes are no longer clean either. The emperor's new war plants have contaminated them, as well as most of the streams feeding the area." She carefully approached him with a bottle of herbal tonic, handing it to him as she took the crane from his arms. "Still," she said softly, leaning over the still bundle, "why stay? There are other places far better than these rice paddies, so close to the ironplants near here. Why would he remain?"

The other boy did not answer as he applied the tonic to the crane's shoulder wound, which had begun to bleed again. "Do we have anything to feed him?" he asked.

Joro-gumo waved idly towards a previously unnoticed bag at her feet. "This was going to be for dinner, but…" She shrugged expressively. "I never really cared for fish anyway." The woman stood then, her long form casting even longer shadows as she turned to leave. "I'll be out to catch my own dinner. Don't you dare go and wander away someplace, you hear?" Before any of them could protest she was gone, the sounds of the night covering any rustle she might have made.

A heavy silence descended upon them, with only an occasional grunt or request to pass something passing between the three as they carefully avoided eye contact, focusing on caring for the crane Joro-gumo had called Kimihiro. The other boy finally broke the silence as he looked up at the two girls.

"How long have you been traveling with that spider woman?" Sakura looked up in surprise.

"Not many people know the truth about Joro-gumo," she said carefully. "Did she tell you?"

The boy shrugged as he finished tying off the end of the bandage, before setting down the crane in Himiwari's arms. He grabbed some loose cotton cloth from the back of the wagon. "Not exactly. I first stumbled upon her as a spider, that is all. I was lucky not to be eaten." He proceeded to nestle the cloth into an empty rice straw basket, forming a makeshift nest. Himiwari set the crane into it gently.

"So, you are a swordsman," she said, spotting the long sheathed sword that was strapped to his back as he sat down.

"Yes. I've been given leave by my contractor for a bit, so I've been traveling. I am collecting information to write a book." Sakura looked up in surprise.

"You can write?" She flushed a bit, then stuttered, "That is, it is unusual to find someone from the peasant class who knows characters. I only know a handful myself." The boy nodded understandingly, leaning back until his head rested against the side of the wagon.

"Your surprise is understandable. No need to be embarrassed." With that he fell silent, offering no further information. The other two did not press him, simply going about their usual nightly activities; rolling out the sleeping mats under the wagon, retrieving water to wash up in, taking the fish and securing in the stream for the night. The spring air chilled them as they finally crawled into their blankets, the banked fire giving off a dim glower. Himiwari turned, facing the young man before going to sleep.

"I don't think we ever got your name." The stranger opened one eye and peered at her sleepily.

"Please excuse me for that. My name is Syaoran." With that he rolled over and fell silent. The two girls looked at each other across the fire.

"He still talks like a noble, even in that state." Under the silent stars, the quiet laughter of two girls could be heard in the night.

…

Do you want a second helping? Kimihiro really is becoming a rather good cook, although he usually dislikes most human practices. Calls them unnatural and such. I really didn't hear you complaining all that much when we were treating you with medicine though, Kimi-chan. What, don't call you that? But it's a very cute name! And that medicine wasn't just herbs either, so don't say that it counts as something that animals would use. What was in it? Well, I think there might have been some frog blood, as well as the dregs taken from boiling cow hooves used for glue. Ahh, just kidding, just kidding! It was herbs, Kimihiro, herbs! Oh dear, he's flown away…


End file.
